Haunted
by northernspy1
Summary: After the events of "The Party's Over", Danny finds Adam in a bar and discovers the shocking truth about his childhood. Warning: Mentions of serious child abuse, suicide, and alcoholism. Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this.

"You gonna be alright?" Stella asked.

"Yeah, uh, you know, nothing that a slice and some Guitar Hero can't fix." he answered.

She nodded. "Ok… I'll uh, see you tomorrow."

"Good night," he replied.

He turned and began walking down the street, counting the seconds, hoping she would call for him. When he reached twenty and heard nothing, he looked back. She was gone. He sighed and continued down the street, but instead of turning left to go to his apartment, he continued straight toward a dimly lit bar.

He walked in and headed for "his" seat, at the end of the bar, away from all the other customers. "All" meaning about three. He sat down and ordered a beer. The burly bartender set it down in front of him with a nod. Without hesitating, he took a huge swig, draining half the bottle in two swallows.

"You know alcohol and depression never mix well," a familiar New York accent piped up. Adam turned to see Danny Messer sit down on the stool next to him and order a shot of whiskey. Adam shook his head and smiled as Danny turned his bespectacled head to the nervous lab rat, his expression questioning.

Adam lowered his head in defeat. He knew Danny would never let him leave without some explanation for why Jake talked to him and nobody else. "_Might as well dive right in," _he thought. Turning toward the blonde detective, he began.

"When I was a kid… my dad believed that physical strength was a sign of a "true man". Both my older brothers were… cooperative… with that thought and played all kinds of sports, so he usually left them alone. I was… different. He didn't understand… why I didn't like going hunting during the summer or playing football. So he thought I must be weak, and he never missed a chance to tell me that." He paused. No response came from Danny, so he continued.

"My dad also believed that alcohol was the greatest discovery in history, so he tended to… indulge. A few times a week he would go… out… and when he came back the playing field was pretty even. It was every man for himself, hide to survive. If he found you… there was no escaping." He paused and rolled up his sleeve to reveal what was once a deep gash on his shoulder, now faded to a jagged scar. Danny's eyes widened at the sight, but he didn't say anything.

"One night, when I was seven, he came back early. He was angry, and we didn't have time to get out of there. My brothers and I ran for it but he caught me… and used my shoulder to smash his half-empty beer bottle. I got a compound fracture in my shoulder… that would have gotten infected if my mom hadn't escaped with me to the hospital." He looked at Danny's horrified expression, understanding building between them.

"What, uh… w-what happened then?" Danny stammered. Adam smiled at the trip-up. It was rare for Danny to be at a loss for words; that was usually Adam's problem.

"Well, I had already struck out so my brothers got to spend the night fending him off. I came back later and found them bruised and bleeding in my oldest brother's bedroom. Thankfully my mom was a part-time nurse so she could treat them." He grimaced at the memory and rubbed his shoulder.

Danny was at a complete loss for words. How had he never known this about Adam before? The quirky lab tech hid a lot of dark stuff behind his otherwise childlike demeanor. Who knew what else he had been hiding. "So is that when the, uh, OCD thing started?" he asked.

Adam shook his head. "No… that started when I was nine... I came home one day from school… I thought the house was empty… parents at work, brothers still at school… it was raining so I thought I'd take a shower… my dad would kill me if I got mud on the furniture."

"I walked into the bathroom, and found my older brother Michael in there… he had, uh…" the words were getting harder to get out. It wasn't often Adam visited this particular memory. Danny placed a hand on his shoulder. He took a deep breath and tried again, "I found Michael… in the shower… dead."

Danny's mouth dropped open. Adam shook away the flashback and continued, "He had hung himself… with our dad's favorite tie."

Like a dam breaking, the tears began spilling out. It was the most painful feeling in the world, remembering. "I almost had a nervous breakdown when I found him… and I just wanted to _kill_ my dad… it was because of him, his fault… I _hated _him more than ever then."

Danny was gaping at him, clearly shocked beyond belief. Adam tried to clear his throat, wipe the tears from his eyes, but to no avail. He finished off his beer and continued. "So that's when the whole OCD thing started… and it only made things worse… my dad thought I was crazy because I had to get everything exactly right or else I would panic… so he started trying to "fix" me, which essentially meant hitting me every time I started rearranging things to put them in the right order… trying to knock some sense into me I guess." He was starting to hyperventilate now, trying to control his sobs, so Danny ordered him a glass of water to calm him down. A few sips had him breathing normally again.

Danny kept his hand on his shoulder, trying to provide some form of comfort to the miserable lab rat. He had never seen Adam so upset before, so close to a breakdown. It was rather unnerving to think that the most enthusiastic member of their "family" had so much pain to deal with. _Why had he never told anybody?_ Even Stella didn't seem to know how much the poor kid was holding back. It broke Danny's heart to see him cry like this. No wonder he was so jumpy all the time!

Adam wanted to disappear into thin air, or perhaps find a deep, dark hole to crawl into. He thought back to when he had been taken hostage by the Irish drug dealers, absentmindedly rubbing the burn scars on his hand. They were faded now, but he preferred them to the ones left by his father, not only the jagged one on his shoulder, but also the ones he hadn't told anyone about: the whip scars on his back, from his father's belt; burn marks on his leg from being a human ashtray; the knife wound on his leg from an "accident" when his father had been drunk. Holding back more tears, he slid off the bar stool and started to leave.

Just then, he felt Danny grab his arm. He turned to look at the blonde detective, who had a concerned, almost betrayed look. "Why didn't you tell me?" he demanded.

Adam shrugged. "You never asked," he answered plainly. Then he turned and walked out the door, into the night, leaving his companion behind.

* * *

**_A/N: I'm not really sure if I want to continue this story or not, so I'm taking a vote:_**

**_A.) Danny goes after Adam, and confronts him about the issue_**

**_B.) Adam leaves and the story ends there_**

**_C.) Danny tells another member of the team about what happened and asks for advice (If so, who?)_**

**_Please include answer in review! _**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I still don't own

Danny watched Adam leave. He thought about going after him, but decided that it would be best if he left him alone for a while. He counted to fifty, dropped some money on the counter, and went home. The night was chilly and overcast, appropriate given the circumstances. On his way home, he mulled over the horrors that Adam had detailed for him. _"How could anyone do that to their kid? Poor Adam must be feeling so lonely." _The worst things his father had ever really done were smack him on the back of the head or threaten to put him in jail if he didn't behave. Adam's father was a _monster_ in comparison.

Danny walked up the flights of stairs to his apartment and went in as quietly as he could so as not to wake the neighbors. After debating whether or not to pour himself a drink, he decided it would be better if he simply went to bed. He quickly brushed his teeth and climbed under the covers, hoping he wouldn't start having nightmares about his friend.

And he didn't. Actually, he never fell asleep. He tossed and turned in bed, unable to get Adam's stories out of his mind.

_"Found him in the shower… dead."_

Danny blinked rapidly, clearing the image.

_"Got a compound fracture in my shoulder… would've gotten infected."_

He put his pillow over his head, trying to shut out the voice.

_"Nervous breakdown… started when I was nine… trying to "fix" me."_

He took the pillow off his head, got out of bed, and walked to the window. There was a small gap in the clouds, revealing a few stars. He sighed, wondering if Adam had even gotten home.

* * *

Adam had gotten home long before. He put on some hard rock, his go-to music when things were _really_ bad. Dropping down on the couch, he shut his eyes and let sleep close around him.

_Alone in a dark house, covered in mud, rain spattering the windows. He kicks his shoes off and walks inside. "Hello?" he calls, fearful of what might lurk in the shadows. Something feels wrong. He goes to his bedroom and drops his books on the bed, then straight to the shower to get cleaned up. He opens the door and stares in shock and the limp, lifeless body hanging from the shower rod._

Adam bolted awake, breathing heavily. The image was so clear in his head. He looked at his watch. 3:30 am. He had to be at work in three hours. Getting up from the couch, he walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge door, pulling back as another flashback hit him.

_ He falls to his knees, screaming "NO MICHAEL!" Tears are pouring down his pale face as he kneels helpless on the floor. He looks at the sink and sees the cell phone. He picks it up and dials 9-1-1, stating only to "Help me. He's dead." He leaves the phone on the floor, still on call, and retreats deep into his mind, escaping the pain, the fear, the deadly scene before him. And that's where parents, police and paramedics find him thirty minutes later, tears still streaming down his face._

Pulling a Red Bull from the refrigerator, Adam thought about the scene at the bar earlier that night. In retrospect, perhaps he unloaded a bit too much on Danny. He knew he had a past that scared most people and fascinated psychiatrists. It was all a bit much for someone who didn't exactly have the most stellar childhood either. _"At least his father wasn't evil," _he thought bitterly.

He sat down on the couch and sipped the cool, refreshing energy drink. It was odd how his solution for bad sleep was caffeine, but nothing else had worked and he didn't want to try sleeping pills.

Which got him thinking about sleep patterns and habits; which got him thinking about how, when he had first started at the crime lab, he had thought Sid lived in the morgue; which got him thinking about how surprisingly comfortable the chair in his "office" was; which led to a whole host of differing trains of thought that occupied him until 6:00.

He gulped down another Red Bull and got ready to leave for work. While combing his hair, he wondered if Danny was even going to want to speak to him.

* * *

Danny didn't want to talk to Adam, because Adam didn't seem to want to talk and that was kind of necessary for a conversation to happen and Danny didn't want to argue. So he decided he would talk to someone else and ask for advice. His first thought was Lindsay, but she would probably be biased and tell him to arrest Adam's father. He could try Flack, but he wasn't the kind of guy you went to for problems involving Adam. So he turned to the only person he thought might understand: his boss.

"Hey Mac, you got a minute?" He asked, sticking his head through the doorway. Mac looked up from his paperwork and nodded. Danny walked into the office and sat down awkwardly.

"What can I do for you Danny?" Mac asked. Danny shifted in his chair. He wasn't comfortable talking about Adam like this, but he hadn't promised that he _wouldn't _say anything. He sighed and looked at his boss.

"It's about Adam," he said. Mac's face became serious. After the Kaplan case anything involving the lab tech was serious. He waited for Danny to continue, watching the blonde detective shift uncomfortably.

Danny sighed again, wishing he had talked to Adam instead. He slowly began to repeat the story Adam had told him, watching Mac's face grow more serious with every detail, particularly when he got to the part about Adam's brother. Finally, he reached a conclusion to the horror story and looked at Mac darkly.

"Look, I know I tease Adam a lot. And I know it makes it look like I don't really care. But Adam's like a brother to me. I can't just sit back and watch him suffer." Danny stated. Mac held up his hand.

"I know what you mean. To be honest, most of us don't treat him as well as we should. And I suspected that his father had been abusive, but I didn't know to what extent."

Danny nodded. "So… what should I do?"

Mac smiled sadly. "I don't think I'm the best person to be asking about these matters. It's terrible what happened, I understand. But perhaps you should talk to someone a little more… experienced with these problems."

"Like who?" Danny asked. Mac shrugged. Danny nodded and got up to leave. On his way out the door he turned back.

"Mac? Don't tell Adam I told you this. I don't want him to be mad at me." Mac nodded. Danny smiled and left the office.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I _still_ don't own any of this. :(

Danny spent the rest of the morning avoiding Adam. He did his work and tried not to think about the horrors the lab tech must be faced with every time he closed his eyes. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. He had to get some more advice, but from whom? Mac had clearly explained he wasn't very good at this, so who could have a totally unbiased opinion and provide useful advice? There was only one person who came to mind.

"Hey, Sid!" Danny called as he strolled into the morgue. Sid Hammerback looked calmly up from the dead body he was examining, unflappable as ever.

"Why, Mr. Messer, what brings you down to my lair?" Sid asked as he pulled apart his glasses, something Danny had always thought looked so cool. He took a deep breath.

"I need to talk to you about something, and I want an objective opinion." He said, choosing his words carefully. Sid immediately looked serious. There was something in Danny's voice that made him feel this was very important.

Danny felt rather uncomfortable talking about the matter while standing over a _body_, but he couldn't very well ask Sid to leave. After all, this was _his_ kingdom. Reluctantly, he began, trying to leave out Adam's name wherever possible.

"I've got this friend who was abused as a child. Like, really, badly abused. His dad was um… kind of a drunk and not very… accepting of his kids. And I want to say something to him, to make him feel better, but I don't really know what to say and I don't even know if he's going to listen to me."

Sid smiled. "You're talking about Adam Ross aren't you?"

Danny's eyes widened in disbelief. _"How did he know? Adam _never_ comes down here!"_

"Stella came down here during the Kaplan case and told me how well Adam related to the boy. There could only be one explanation," Sid explained. Danny sighed.

"Doc, you don't understand. I mean this guy was more than just a bully, he was a monster. The kid's got scars like a Marine. You know his so-called "father" broke his shoulder with a bottle of beer? I've seen scars from bombs that have healed better than what that incident left behind. And his brother... aw man. His brother… he killed himself. Killed himself for little Adam to find. All because of that son of a—" he stopped, not wanting to swear in front of the doctor. Sid was looking at him, a sad smile spread across his face.

Danny shook his head. "Look, I don't mean to unload this on you. But I gotta say something to him, _something _to show him he's not alone in this world. But I have no idea what to say, because nobody really understands what it's like but him."

Sid let out a sigh, thinking. He really hadn't expected this. As a coroner, he didn't really have much experience dealing with living people. Especially people like Adam Ross, who didn't exactly like to talk about himself anyway. What kind of advice could he give that would help? He tried to think of the times his children had asked for advice.

"I would say… that you can't imagine what he must go through. And that regardless, you will be there for him whenever he needs it."

Danny thought about it. It sounded like pretty good advice. "But what if he doesn't listen to me?" he asked.

Sid smiled. "Just make sure he knows you're ready to listen. That's all you can really do."

Danny thanked him and went back to the lab.

* * *

Adam, meanwhile, had been trying desperately to escape the incessant flashbacks that had been plaguing him since last night. His talk with Danny hadn't made things any better; if anything, it had made them worse. He felt like he was living a nightmare, trying to escape and failing.

He stared at the computer screen, watching the thin red loading bar slowly crawl to the right. The technology in the lab could be so slow at times, making him wonder how they _ever_ managed to catch the criminals. Having not had much sleep the night before, his eyes got heavier with every passing minute. Soon, he could not keep them open any longer, and he let them shut.

_The sound of a door slam, a woman's scream. He covers his ears, trying to shut out the noise. Daddy's angry again. He's angry but he doesn't say why. There's yelling, the sound of a fist hitting the wall. He wishes he had his Walkman, wishes his brother were there._

_"I've got a good-for-nothing wife, a sixteen-year-old son who doesn't do anything and an eleven-year-old who's cracked! Why _shouldn't_ I be angry?" Daddy yells and he's talking about him and his need to make everything right. Mommy's crying, crying that she's trying, what more can she do, she can't bring Michael back. There is the sound of a slap, hard palm hitting flesh. He shuts his eyes and tries not to think about what's going on out there. He wants to run away, far away, and never come back. The bedroom door rattles as something slams into it and there's more hitting._

Adam felt his head drop to the desk as he jerked awake, terrified. The impact nearly jarred his teeth. Gently rubbing his forehead, he looked around to make sure that he wasn't back in his room, reliving that nightmare. He was still in the lab. The computer was finished downloading. He clicked the "Next" button and felt relief. He was safe with the computer.

He tried not to think about the flashbacks as he did his work. He was pushing them to the back of his mind, but one thought kept coming forward. He hadn't told Danny everything last night, only enough to stop his pestering. There was one detail he had left out, a part of the story that was actually the reason why he came to New York. Something he hadn't told anyone.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry it took so long to update, been real busy. Anyways, thanks for the reviews!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing... :(**

* * *

That night, Danny went across town to Adam's apartment. Having never been there, he didn't quite know what to expect. So he kept an open mind.

When he got there, he was a bit surprised to hear Styx coming from inside. He didn't really know what music Adam kept on his IPod but he would never have pegged him for a rock fan. He checked the number on the wall, making sure that he had the correct apartment. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door.

After a moment, Adam opened the door and was visibly shocked by his guest. Danny Messer was _not_ the person he was hoping to see at the moment. He struggled to find the right words as the blonde detective stood in the doorway, looking more than a little awkward himself.

"Danny… I… w-what are y-you d-doing here?" he asked, mentally kicking himself for being so obvious. _Dammit, why do I have to stutter so much?"_ he thought. Danny, however, only smiled as the scientist tripped over the words that were all tangled up in his brain.

"C-come in, uh… w-what is it?" Adam continued to stammer out. He felt like a complete idiot. Danny walked inside and was rather taken aback at the sight of Adam's apartment.

And he had every right, because the apartment was quite extraordinary. Everything was organized in a neat and orderly fashion. Thick science books were arranged from largest to smallest on the bookshelf; the TV was at a perfect 90˚ angle; the clock wasn't a second off. Danny had never seen anything like it. When he got home, he usually threw his stuff on the couch to be cleaned up later; it seemed like Adam's whole life consisted of keeping things in order.

Adam stood awkwardly as Danny took in his surroundings. Hopefully, his obsessive neatness wouldn't strike him as too weird. He tried to think of something, _anything_ to say that would alleviate the tension.

"You, uh… you w-want something to drink?" he asked. Danny looked surprised; he had almost forgotten Adam was still standing there. He nodded and watched as Adam escaped into the safety of the kitchen. He walked over to the old couch and sat down just as Adam came back with a couple of beers. He handed one to Danny and sat down beside him.

"Ok Danny, what are you doing here?" he asked after a moment of awkward silence. Danny turned toward him and paused, thinking, wondering if he really wanted to get more involved in Adam's nightmare.

"I wanted to talk to you…" he began, choosing his words _very_ carefully, "You remember that conversation we had last night?"

Adam froze. He had been trying to forget last night all day. He nodded stiffly, growing increasingly wary. "What about it?" he asked.

Danny paused, trying to remember what Sid had told him. "I… I just want you to know… that I'm gonna be here for you… whenever you want to talk to someone about it. I can't imagine what you've been through but you should know I'll always be here to listen." He sighed, satisfied with his piece.

"Is that all?" Adam asked. Danny was surprised.

"What do you mean?" he asked in response.

"If that's all then ok, fine. You'll listen to me. Thank you. Goodnight." Adam said.

"Wait… Is there something you're not telling me?" Danny asked.

Adam shook his head. "Just forget it. You don't understand anything. You don't and you never will."

Suddenly Danny was in his face. "_Make _me understand then, Adam. If I don't understand then please, explain it to me!"

Adam sighed. He didn't want to get any deeper into things. "Do you know why I came to New York?" he asked. Danny shook his head. "Exactly, that's why you don't understand. Because you don't even know the first thing about me!"

Now Danny was angry. "I don't know anything about you because you keep it all locked up in that giant brain of yours! Ok? Maybe I would understand but you have no way of knowing because you never _say_ anything!"

Adam wanted to punch him in the face. Since when was it any of his business, how much Adam said? _"Because you made it his business by telling him."_ He thought, feeling stupid. He shook his head and started to get up. Danny grabbed him.

"No, Adam, you and I are going to settle this right here right now! You can't keep hiding forever, so you might as well get it over with now!" he said.

Adam tried to pull away but to no avail. Danny had a firm grip on his arm and he was not letting go. He sighed.

"Danny, you don't want to get into this—"

Danny shook his head. He wanted to know. Adam sighed again.

"Ok, look. I can't tell you, or you won't get it. I have to… show you." He said. Now Danny just looked confused.

"Look, stay here tonight, and tomorrow I'll explain everything." Adam said finally pulling free.

Danny stared at him, puzzled. Nothing was going the way he had anticipated. Not only had he not been able to get out what he wanted and leave, now Adam was asking him to stay the night?

He began to ask why he was supposed to do that when Adam held up a hand to interrupt. "You take the couch, and I promise I will explain everything in the morning."

"But I have to go to work in the morning…" Danny protested.

"Call Mac and ask for a different shift," Adam replied. "Tell him your car is in the shop or something."

"And what are you going to tell him?" Danny countered.

"I got the night shift tomorrow anyway, he won't notice." Adam responded casually.

Danny tried to think up a clever way out of this, but curiosity got the better of him and he nodded. Adam turned and went into his bedroom. Danny set his drink on the old coffee table in front of him and swung his legs up onto the couch, kicking his shoes off first. No need to upset Adam's OCD by making a mess. He turned off the light and stared at the ceiling, wondering if he would be able to sleep in such an unfamiliar place.

A few hours later, just as he was getting truly sleepy, he heard a quiet muttering come from Adam's room. He froze and listened. It came again. Standing up noiselessly, he tiptoed into the bedroom and stood over his friend's sleeping body.

Adam was having a nightmare. He was tossing and turning and muttering things; every once and a while he would whisper "No, Michael…" and roll over. Danny watched him sadly. How could such a great guy live such a terrible life? If he had to deal with this every night, it was no wonder he looked tired all of the time.

He left the room as quietly as he had entered, taking care not to make a sound as he shut the door. He dropped onto the couch and closed his eyes, finally falling asleep when the clock chimed two.


	5. Chapter 5

**Writer's Block is finally gone. Here's the last chapter. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own**

* * *

Central Park was the last place Danny generally wanted to be in the early morning. More often than not, the only reason he ever went there was because there was a body. So he didn't exactly jump for joy when Adam told him that was their destination.

They rode in Danny's car in silence, neither wanting to be the first to speak after the argument last night. Danny felt particularly awkward after witnessing Adam's nightmare state. He remembered Adam's mumbling his brother's name over and over, knowing there was nothing that could be done. The poor kid was being tortured by his own mind, with no way to escape.

Adam meanwhile, sat like a ghost in the passenger seat, closed off to the world. He locked himself in his own head, the one place he felt safe. He was still angry at Danny for getting involved like that, but he was even angrier at himself for letting him. After all, Danny never even would've known what had happened had Adam not told him.

Every once in a while, Danny would look over at Adam to see what he was thinking. Unfortunately, Adam had adopted a rather Mac-like stoicism, so he couldn't read his face. Finally, he gave up and decided if Adam was going to be stubborn, then he wouldn't bother arguing.

They reached Central Park and got out of the car. Adam motioned Danny to follow him, still not speaking. Rolling his eyes, Danny followed. They walked through the main area of the park without pausing. Clearly Adam knew exactly where he was going. Danny didn't ask, knowing there would be no response.

Finally, they stopped in front of a large tree. Adam turned to Danny and finally spoke.

"Well, there it is," he said. Danny stared at the tree, not sure what he was supposed to be looking at. Adam sighed, exasperated.

"Look at the trunk. _Closely_." Adam pressed. Danny walked closer to the tree and, using his finely honed CSI observation skills, examined a series of jagged cuts made in the bark. Suddenly, he realized that they said something. Reading them slowly, his felt his heart sink.

_Elizabeth Jane Ross, Please Come Home_.

Danny looked at Adam, as though suddenly seeing the lab tech in a whole new light. Adam stared at the ground.

"Adam… you never said you had a sister..." Danny began. Adam held up a hand.

"I never said I didn't, either."

"What uh… what happened to her?" Danny asked, almost afraid of the answer.

Adam stared at the overcast sky and sighed. He hated thinking about it, it hurt so much.

"I was ten, and she was eight. We… had just come home from school. We walked in the door and our dad was home. He had been… out. He grabbed me and started to hit me. Elizabeth tried to stop him. She jumped on him, trying to pull him off. Instead of letting go, he backed up and slammed her into the wall, then threw her onto the floor. She ran into her room crying and he finished where he had left off with me. By the time I came to, she was gone. I knew she had run away because her clothes and backpack were missing."

Danny gaped at him, unable to believe his ears. "How could she survive on her own at that age?" he asked. Adam let out a bitter laugh.

"Growing up with our dad, we learned to take care of ourselves real quick." He stopped and stared at the ground. "When we were little, she and I would talk about someday moving to New York. She loved the idea of the city with no Dad. So, when she ran away, I knew that's where she would go. I promised myself I would find her." The words caught in his throat as he fought back tears. "When I was choosing my college, I only picked schools in New York, so I could look for her. I spent every day of my life trying to find her. But I still haven't. It's been over twenty years, and I still have no idea where she is."

Danny listened in sympathy, wishing there was something he could do to comfort the miserable lab rat. He couldn't believe this was what Adam lived with every day, wondering if he would ever find his only sister. Danny couldn't imagine a more painful nightmare.

Adam swallowed his tears and stared at the sky. "I don't even know if my sister's still alive but I don't care. I'll keep searching until I find her, _any_ of her. Even if it's her dead body in a river, I'll find her. No matter what the cost, no matter how much it hurts. I'll find her." Then, his wall came down and the tears came out. Pain that had been locked away for years finally came to light.

Danny stood beside him, not sure what to do. He had never seen Adam truly break down before. Everything he had ever thought about the lab tech changed in an instant. Standing before him was not the innocent, child-like genius who worked with him. He was a victim, carrying a burden that Danny would never understand.

He watched Adam attempt to wipe away his tears, only to have them immediately replaced by fresh ones. Not sure what to do, he stood awkwardly as Adam collected himself, building his wall back up.

"I've never told anyone this before, and you have to promise you're not going to tell anyone else," Adam stated firmly. Danny nodded. He knew the rest of the team probably wouldn't be as sensitive toward him should they find out. Telling Mac about Adam's father's abuse was one thing; telling him something as deeply personal as Adam's sister's disappearance would be way out of bounds. It was none of his business to know any of this, and yet Adam trusted him regardless. His heart felt like lead as he gazed into Adam's icy blue eyes, so full of pain and fear.

Feeling the rain begin to fall from the sky, he gently wrapped his arm around Adam's shoulders and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry Adam," he said, "I'm right here." Adam smiled, for the first time in days, as they raced back to the car, out of the storm.

* * *

_**A/N: Holding a vote here, because I am getting a lot of "more please" reviews.**_

_**A.) Adam sees his sister one day in public and tries to find her again, with Danny's help**_

_**B.) The story ends and does not go on**_

_**C.) Danny slips and tells someone Adam's secret, making Adam mad (If so, who?)**_

_**D.) Adam's sister contacts him and asks for help**_

_**Please review and include answer!**_


End file.
